The Prodigal Son Returns, But Is Female In Rhonda Baraka’s Pastor Brown

“He (Rockmond Dunbar) was looking for something to direct,” said screenwriter/producer Rhonda Freeman-Baraka of her film Pastor Brown starring Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Emmy Award winning Keith David, Ernie Hudson, Tisha Campbell-Martin, Nicole Ari Parker, Tisha Smith and Michael B. Jordan – which airs on Lifetime February 16, 2013. “So I sent him the script. He called in 2007…said he wanted to do it. Roc had a clear idea of what he wanted (cast). Once you give it to the director it’s his…but everyone he considered he called me.”

According to Rhonda she was pleasantly surprised by the performance of Salli Richard-Whitfield (“Eureka”) in her role as Jessica “Jesse” Brown the wayward preacher’s daughter who returns home for the first time in decades after her father, Pastor Brown (David), falls terminally ill.

“He had a lot of faith in her (Salli).” Baraka said about her concern to Dunbar of whether she could carry the role. “I started paying attention to her and he was right. She put so much into the role, I was so impressed.”

Upon her return home her father, head of Mount Olive Church, asked her to take over his ministry, which has her family members taking sides.

“I use to want to be a preacher,” said Keith about his role as the pastor. “I played a preacher in the theater and in Death at a Funeral. It’s the story of how you can turn your life around.”